Quality assurance: A critical ingredient for organizational success

What is quality assurance?

Is there a quality assurance definition? In essence, it is a clear and concise framework that embraces every element of the operations of an organization, not least quality management which plays an instrumental role in fostering a culture of constant, ongoing improvement. The QA team is involved in all stages of development: production, testing, packaging and delivery.

The primary aim of QA is to reduce the risk of defects – and importantly, to address faults as early as possible in the value chain. This reduces the number of defects which are revealed at the stage of final inspection, when correction becomes difficult and costly. The further upstream a defective element is identified and corrected, thanks to a tightly managed quality assurance system, the less time and energy is wasted, reducing costs and safeguarding brand reputation.

In practice, this means putting in place both technical and managerial processes, so as to efficiently monitor and improve product or service quality. A QA system ensures these processes are implemented, including product testing, employee surveys or equipment safety assessments. Once implemented, all these elements will be geared towards maintaining and improving an organization’s quality standards. QA also ensures compliance with industry standards and regulations, gives organizations a competitive edge, and directly contributes to higher profitability.

History of QA and QC

The concept of quality has been integral to human civilization for millennia, but to understand how these modern QA concepts came into being, it’s useful to explore their evolution over time:

Ancient civilizations and mediaeval guilds

In Ancient Greece and Egypt, detailed standards were set for construction and craftsmanship. This emphasis on quality continued through the Middle Ages with the establishment of guilds, which regulated standards within trades. Guild masters inspected goods and required artisans to produce high-quality “masterpieces”, ensuring consistent craftsmanship.

Industrial Revolution

The rise of factory-based production marked a shift from skilled, verified craftsmanship to standardized methods. Frederick Winslow Taylor’s principles of scientific management introduced efficiency-focused practices, including formal training and strict documentation that laid the groundwork for modern quality assurance.

1930s and 1940s

At Bell Labs, American physicist, engineer and statistician Walter Shewhart advanced quality practices by proposing the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle. His work introduced iterative cycles for enhancing quality and problem solving, which became fundamental to modern quality control, or QC. Building on this, William Edwards Deming, a renowned statistician and quality management expert, applied the PDSA model in post-WWII Japan, significantly boosting manufacturing efficiency and product quality.

Deming’s contribution to quality assurance has been foundational in shaping modern quality management practices, emphasizing the need for continuous improvement, systematic approaches and a deep understanding of both processes and people.

Best practices in quality assurance

Quality assurance retains its magic when implemented in alignment with a series of best practices, including:

• Strong leadership commitment and support
• Detailed quality planning in product design and process development
• Comprehensive training on QA principles and procedures
• Rigorous process documentation and control
• Extensive collaboration and communication across teams
• Ongoing audits and risk assessment
• Use of statistical quality control tools
• Validation of corrective/preventive actions
• Continual measurement and analysis of quality data
• Recognition and replication of best practices

Close adherence to best practices ensures the integration of quality into every step of the value chain, from R&D to procurement, production to distribution – and all the way to post-sales services.

Quality assurance in action: an example

QA can refer to a wide range of actions, from auditing suppliers to implementing testing protocols and refining production processes. Let’s look at a hypothetical scenario in which robust QA processes can help a business identify and resolve issues quickly, safeguarding both product quality and customer trust.

Problem: XYZ Electronics, a company that manufactures and sells wireless headphones, notices a significant uptick in product returns within the first three months of sale. In most cases, this is due to battery issues: either the headphones won’t charge properly or they fail to hold the charge after a short period.

Action: The QA team conducts an investigation to identify the root cause of the problem. They perform a series of tests on returned products and discover that the batteries in these units degrade more rapidly than expected. Further analysis reveals that the problem began after the company switched to a new battery supplier to reduce costs.

Solution: The QA team immediately informs senior management of the issue and recommends suspending purchases from the new supplier. To prevent future issues, they introduce a new QA policy that requires a comprehensive life-cycle test for all critical components before approval. The company switches back to the original battery supplier and enhances its incoming quality checks. Additionally, they set up a cross-functional team to monitor new components’ performance for the first six months after any change.

Quality assurance methods

QA typically uses one or more of the following methods to manage and enhance quality:

• Material testing involves subjecting a product to various conditions to identify its breaking points or potential areas of failure. For physical products, this can include tests under extreme conditions such as heat, pressure or repeated use to gauge durability. In software development, this might involve stress or load testing, where the software is pushed to handle maximum users or data volumes.
• Performance testing is used to simulate real-world scenarios to evaluate the effectiveness and reliability of a product, component or system under specific conditions. This ensures it meets predefined performance criteria such as speed, stability, durability or capacity.
• Statistical process control (SPC) is a data-driven method that uses statistical techniques such as control charts to monitor and control production processes. SPC helps companies detect variations that could lead to defects by analysing data collected during production. This allows for the early identification of trends and potential problems, enabling corrective actions before defects occur.
• Total quality management (TQM) is an organization-wide approach focused on continuous improvement and customer satisfaction. TQM integrates quality assurance into every aspect of a company’s operations, encouraging all employees to take ownership of quality and constantly seek ways to enhance processes, reduce waste and improve product quality.

These quality assurance methods ensure products meet high standards of performance, durability and reliability across industries. By applying these techniques, companies can proactively address potential issues, drive continuous improvement and enhance customer satisfaction.

Creating a quality assurance plan in six key steps

A robust plan requires careful planning, design, and a well-executed roll-out. Although the following steps may appear daunting at first glance, organizations typically find that they quickly become part of their operational fabric.

Here’s a brief rundown:

1. Sharpen your focus: Conduct risk assessments to identify areas that would benefit from QA focus and develop procedures that are aligned with business processes.
2. Define quality objectives: Clear and measurable goals, metrics and performance targets will make the plan much easier to implement.
3. Roles and responsibilities: Training staff to detect and repair issues in the early stages of product development is crucial. This hinges upon the availability of easily digestible processes and rules that clearly describe objections and expectations in the day-to-day language of the organization.
4. Analyse the results: Following implementation, it’s time to collect quality data. This will support strategic analysis, action and the review of key performance metrics.
5. Make adjustments: After reviewing and reflecting upon feedback, the next step is to revisit original goals, making agreed-upon adjustments. This should be followed by a regular audit every two to three months – or at shorter intervals if needed.
6. Celebrate QA successes: If the QA plan has boosted end goals, sales rates or customer satisfaction, let the teams know. Positive feedback anchors employee motivation. This will encourage staff to extend their knowledge of the process and contribute to a culture of operational excellence.

What is the difference between quality assurance and quality control

We’ve explored what quality assurance entails, but what is quality control? The terms quality assurance and quality control (QC) are sometimes used interchangeably, but they represent distinct concepts. Here are the essential differences between quality assurance and quality control:

• Quality assurance asks: “Are we doing the process right and preventing defects?” It refers to preventive activities to design, document and build quality into processes.
• Quality control asks: “Are we producing the right product and meeting specifications?” It involves more detective work, such as conducting testing and inspection to identify defects and correct them.

In essence, quality assurance provides the system for quality control activities to take place. An effective quality system integrates both assurance and control to deliver products and services that consistently meet requirements.

In a similar fashion, there are important differences between quality assurance and quality management. In quality assurance, only potentially negative influences on the quality of the end product are analysed, and then, at best, eliminated. By contrast, quality management positively focuses on the quality of the product. It’s the ongoing quest to seek better and better. In other words, quality management establishes policies and objectives that improve organizational performance.

So, while quality management provides the overarching strategy, quality assurance deploys practices and processes to implement that strategy. Together, these coordinated activities focus on directing and controlling the quest for quality.

• ISO 9001:2015Quality management systems

Standards of quality

A quality assurance system underscores an organization’s credibility, while also improving work processes and efficiency. ISO is a driving force behind QA practices and mapping the processes used to implement QA.

QA is often associated with the ISO 9000 family of standards. Many companies use ISO 9001 to ensure that their quality assurance system is in place and effective. ISO 9001 guidance includes a strong customer focus, top management practices, and how to keep pace with continuing improvement. It also contains practical information for risk-based decision making.

Quality assurance: powering success

In today’s highly competitive global markets, organizations that make wise investments in QA are reaping the benefits. They mitigate risks, proactively reduce the chances of defects, perform to a consistent standard of quality, build trust among consumers, strengthen their industry position, and excel in crucial business metrics. In short, they embody the hallmarks of a credible, dependable and bankable brand that customers and stakeholders can believe in.